Windshield cleaner



April 25, 1939. J. w. ANDERSON WINDSHIELD CLEANER Filed Sept. 28, 1935 Q 1.1 lll Patented Apnzs, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,155,462 wmDsmELn CLEANER l ration of Indiana.

Application September 28, 1935, Serial No. 42,652

4 Claims.

My invention belongs to the general class of cleaning devices, and relates more particularly to -a device for cleaning Windshields, windows and the like.

- 5 The present invention relates to certain improvements over my co-pending application iiled March 16, 1935, Serial No. 11,392, and has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described that is simple, inexpensive, convenient, m durable, efficient and satisfactory for use wherever applicable. 'Ihe same is especially adapted for use in garages, auto laundries, filling stations and the like for applying moisture to surfaces and at the same time removing dry or hardened. i5 substances such as bugs or the `like from the surface of windshields, and for removing water, snow and the like from surfaces. The same is likewise convenient for use in homes for cleaning windows, mirrors and like surfaces without scratching of or injury to the surfaces to be cleaned.

The invention has among its further objects the production of a device of the kind described that is not affected by water and may be employed for carrying the required amount of water to the surfaces to be cleaned and which will adjust itself to the surface cleaned so as to aiord a uniform operation. e

Many other objects and advantages of the con-A struction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from lthe disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists inthe novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one embodiment? of. the invention, only a portion of the handle being shown;

Fig. 2 is substantially a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially -on lineS--S of Fig. 1: and

Rig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on 1ine4f4of1llg.1.' f, y j Referring tot'h'edrawing, I represents a re-v cessed base member of resilient material such as .o rubber or the like provided with a squeegee head- 2 at one edge formed integrally therewith and extending at an angle. as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. 'Ihe base member I is provided with a reenforcement or stiiiening member 'seated in l. w the recess and carries amoistureretaining and applying member 4 of felt or the like, and the member 3 also provides means for securing the felt to the base member as well as to secure the abrasive member which is mounted in the felt. The stiiening member or plate 3 also aiords a means for rigidly securing the handle 5 to the body member, as will be hereinafter described.

As shown, the body member is provided with a squeegee head 2 extending at an angle tov and connected to the body by a reduced exible porlo tion 'I so that the head may be flexed transversely of its longitudinal axis to a limited extent, the amount o iiexing depending upon the pliability of the rubber as well as the thickness of the neck portion. It may be mentioned, however, that 15 the portion 'I has suilicient resistance that considerable pressure may be applied to the head for squeegeeing or wiping purposes to eiilciently re- Amove'the moisture. The ,head is provided with the arrises or shoulders as indicated at 8 which constitute a plurality of wiping edges. The stiffening plate 3 is preferably flanged as indi'- cated at I0 and I I and the body or base member I anged thereover as indicated at I2 and I4 the two engaging near the bottom of the recess. It will be noted that the flange I2 is undercut to a considerable extent so that the portion I3. of the ilange engages the side of the iiange vIII on the stiiiening member. The ange I4 maybe similarly constructed if desired, but for ease in' assembling the undercut portion is shown omitted on the ilange I4 and the flange Il doubled over as shown "in the above mentioned figure. The edges of the plate are thus rubber coveredand protected, and the parts interlocked.

'Ihe handle 5 is provided with va head or handle 3"' -plate I1 connected thereto by the shank portion I8 projecting into the handle, ISbeing a ferrule for reenforcing the handle and affordinga more rigid construction. As shown, the plate 3 is punched out as indicated at zo with a slight aange 4 around each opening which may be threaded to engage with the screws 2| extending through the plate I'I and the body. 'I'he screws 2l rigidly and securely connect the handle, the body4 and plate together. v 5

As before mentioned, the plate 3 carries a moisturefretaining pad 4 of felt or'like material, the pad being retained in place between the flanges by means of the prongs24 which are struck up from the lplate and extend through the pad and are thence bent over at their free ends to engage the pad. The pad is formed with agroove 22 extending from adjacent -one end to adjacentthe other end, the groove terminating in an aperture 2t at each end' of the pad. Arranged in the groove 22 is an abrasive member preferably made plate, the ends being bent over as indicated in f Fig. 4. To facilitate bending of the free ends of the prongs 28, the pad may be slit as indicated at.

21 adjacent each end.

`In using the device, the pad being first saturated, the surface to be cleaned is rubbed with the saturated pad 4, the mildly abrasive material 2B being drawn over the surface at the same timeso as to remove any scum, specks, bug remnants or the like. After the surface has been moistened and washed by the pad and the foreign materials loosened, the device is then drawnv over the surl face with the head 2 contacting with the surface,

' removing'dirt and any excess moisture and in eil'ect drying the surface. The device is particularly adapted for use in filling stations,

garages and the ,like for promptly removing dirt from a customer's windshield or car windows, without loss of time and without the use of chemicals which may injure the nish of the car or affect the glass. When so used, the device is usually permitted to stand in the water so that the felt is at all times moist and more or less saturated with water, so that it is not necessary to take time to `permit the same to soak up suiiicient water for cleaning purposes.

It will be particularly noted that by employ.

ment of the stiffening plate, thesqueegee, pad, abrasive and handle are all rigidly and securely connected together with the stiffening plate completely protected and covered so that no metal, either from the plate or from the handle, can come in contact with the windshield orfwindow glass, frame or body of the car and scratch the same. Likewise, the felt and abrading material are so connected. to the handle that the same cannot work loose and become ineifective. Obviously, the size of the device as well as the length of the handle mayv be made to suit the demands of the trade.

Having thus described my invention, itis obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made inthe same without departing from-the spirit of my invention; henc I do not wish to be understood a's-limiting mysel, to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or nuses menrecess formed in one of its face portions, a stiffening plate positioned in said recess, said base member having inwardly extending portions adapted to overlie and cover the edges of said plate for securing the platein said recess. and a moisture 'retaining pad secured to said plate and extending outwardly from said recess beyond ,the adjacent face of said base member.

2. A cleaning device comprising a substan tially'iiat base member of compressible resilient material, said base member having an elongated recess formed in one of its face portions, an elongated stiifening plate having a laterally extending ilange adjacent one of its longitudinal edges positioned in said recess, said base member having an overhanging undercut portion forming an inwardly opening groove adjacent one of the longitudinal side portions of said recess for receiving the laterally extending flange on said plate, said. base member having an inwardly extending portion along the lopposite longitudinal side portion of said recess adapted to overlie the opposite longitudinal edge of `said plate ,for concealing-and securing the edges of said plate in said recess, and a moisture retaining pad secured to said plate and extending outwardly from said ,recess and beyond the adjacent face of said base member.

.3. In a cleaning device of the kind described and in combination, a rubber backing member having arecess formed in one side thereof, a metal reinforcing plate `in said recess, portions on said member being adapted to overlie the edges of said plate, a felt pad disposed in said recess and secured to said plate, a handlehaving a base plate positioned on the 'side of said backing memof, a stiffening plate mounted in said recess and,

linterlocking with the side walls thereof adjacent the bottom of the recess, a felt pad provided with a recess in a face thereof terminating in apertures at the end of the pad, a strip of abrasive material provided in said recess with the ends extended through-said apertures, said plate provided with prongs projecting through the pad and bent down to engage the same in the recess therein,'and with prongs projected through the pad and bent back andA- overlying the abrasive strip adjacent the endsand below the outer face of the pad, a handle, and means ext-ending through the body member from the back side thereof for securing the handle and plete together.

JOHN W. 

